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| Arouna made a big impact against West Brom |
WITH his hair dyed peroxide blond it's hard to miss Arouna Kone – the striker who has brightened Everton's season.
But for almost two years after a £6million move from Wigan the pacy forward was barely seen, confined to the treatment table after a succession of injuries.
Now with his nightmare behind him, and having featured in all seven of Everton's Premier League games so far this season, the Ivory Coast star is hoping to make a big impact in today's critical Merseyside derby.
Kone played a big part in Everton's gutsy comeback on Monday night against West Brom with one of the goals in an inspirational 3-2 victory after being 2-0 down.
He has also been instrumental in the club's surge up the table linking up well with £28m main hit man Romelu Lukaku.
It's a far cry from those long lonely months in the two seasons after his headlining switch from Wigan, where in just a few days he had experienced an FA Cup final triumph and relegation from the Premier League.
Kone opted to join his former Wigan boss Roberto Martinez after the Spaniard replaced David Moyes as Goodison Park boss.
Three serious injuries confined him to just five Premier League games in his first season and 12 in the second.
"Now I have fully recovered it is all about getting the most I can from the moment, to help the team achieve its target this season and give the best I can," he stressed.
"It really was tough. I had just signed and you sign with great hopes of doing well with your new team. Then two months in a bad injury.
"So it was very tough at that time. But fortunately that is all behind me now and the best is ahead. I feel so good in myself fitness wise.
"I can really push myself even harder in training sessions which I think is beginning to show on the field.
"It was all about keeping positive while I was injured. I saw it as a personal challenge to come back again. I had done it twice before so the third time I was convinced that I would get back to full fitness.
"The thing that kept me going was having won a trophy at Wigan. I knew I had to prove myself at Everton and I was determined to bring the good side of myself to this club and show that I could perform here.
"If there were any moments when I wasn't feeling positive it was trying to do again what I had done at Wigan."
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| Kone decided to join Roberto Martinez when he took over the helm at Goodison Park |
Most neutral observers would agree that it's a critical afternoon at Goodison for under-fire Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers. Not that Everton will be taking it easy.
Kone added: "It's an important game but in the context of the whole league season, even if we get a good result against Liverpool, there's still a long season ahead. There's a lot to come and while it's an important game, it's not season-defining.
"It's more about the team than me. It would be great if I do play and put in a good performance but the main thing is that the team are prepared and ready for the challenge of the derby. It's also important that we all go out and enjoy the occasion."
Kone knows there is no bigger occasion than for the 31-year-old to help repay a debt of gratitude to his manager.
"What motivates me to give 100 per cent all the time is our manager showed confidence, not only bringing me to this club, but he also brought me to Wigan.
"So I feel I have something special that I owe to that manager for having shown faith in me on two separate occasions.
"That is why now when I am out on the field, it is like every minute is an absolute pleasure after the period I was out playing. That is why I want to prove I can bring something to this club."
Paying a visit to the Everton Free School last week in which he listened to some of the pupils' projects whetted his appetite to help kids in his native Ivory Coast.
One day he hopes to fund a school there adding: "This has given me extra motivation to give something back to the kids who maybe have got less opportunities to gain a decent education and give them the facilities to go an learn in a school I hope to create."
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